Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ligao City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ligao City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $792 in Ligao City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $1,200 in Ligao City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,609 in Ligao City.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 195% more expensive than Ligao City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Ligao City is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$3.47 ₱211

392.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$17.92 ₱1,088

286.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$3.21 ₱195

329.28%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.46 ₱150

12.20%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.40

$0.76 ₱46.16

267.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.40 ₱24.19

397.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.30 ₱79.0

235.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.17 ₱132

118.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.92 ₱117

-32.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.20 ₱73.1

70.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.99 ₱59.8

101.01%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.05 ₱125

65.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$8.21 ₱499

129.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$4.23 ₱257

121.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$7.94 ₱482

140.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.97 ₱180

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.60 ₱96.9

46.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.66 ₱162

-20.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.60 ₱96.9

78.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.30 ₱140

-14.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.53 ₱154

-28.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.06 ₱64.4

36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.76 ₱46.24

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$2.91 ₱177

132.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$7.88 ₱478

0.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.16 ₱70.3

19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.98 ₱120

19.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.26 ₱15.59

1023.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$0.83 ₱50.6

437.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.22 ₱13.33

831.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$2.12 ₱129

1293.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.09 ₱66.1

66.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.8K €33.5K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

45.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.1K €28.5K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

59.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$189 €163

$113 ₱6,853

67.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.80 €19.65

$33.33 ₱2,024

-31.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$27.39 ₱1,663

37.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$34.12 ₱2,072

69.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$4.53 ₱275

357.84%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.84 ₱355

85.27%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$728 €628

$151 ₱9,146

383.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$4,315 ₱262.0K

242.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$45.16 ₱2,742

96.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$26.32 ₱1,598

40.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$76.2 ₱4,625

33.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$52.9 ₱3,214

119.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$269 ₱16.4K

482.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$180 ₱10.9K

576.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$577 ₱35.0K

384.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$394 ₱23.9K

401.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$2,435 ₱147.9K

218.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$1,032 ₱62.6K

401.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$281 ₱17.1K

734.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.67

-49.18%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $269 in Ligao City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 734% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Ligao City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $207 per month, with Ligao City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barcelona vs Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ligao City differ by about 195% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $792 including rent). Ligao City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 734% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $269 in Ligao City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $151 in Ligao City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ligao City – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $792 in Ligao City versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ligao City but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ligao City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Ligao City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ligao City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.